Botulism

​Case definition

Confirmed case

Foodborne botulism

detection of botulinum toxin in serum, stool, gastric aspirate or food OR

isolation of C. botulinum from stool or gastric aspirate

Wound botulism

Laboratory confirmation of infection:

detection of botulinum toxin in serum OR

isolation of C. botulinum in a wound AND

presence of a freshly infected wound in the 2 weeks before symptoms and no evidence of consumption of food contaminated with C. botulinum.

Infant botulism

Laboratory confirmation with symptoms compatible with botulism in a person less than one year of age:

detection of botulinum toxin in stool or serum OR

isolation of C. botulinum from the patient’s stool, or at autopsy

Colonization botulism

Laboratory confirmation with symptoms compatible with botulism in a patient aged greater than or equal to 1 year with severely compromised gastrointestinal tract functioning (i.e. abnormal bowel) due to various diseases such as colitis, intestinal bypass procedures or in association with other conditions that may create local or widespread disruption in the normal intestinal flora.

detection of botulinum toxin in stool or serum OR

isolation of C. botulinum from the patient’s stool, or at autopsy

Probable case

Clinical illness in a person:

who is epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case of foodborne botulism OR

in whom there is epidemiologic evidence of exposure to a probable food source